I don't know how it happened, and I don't know if I'll ever manage it again, but this was a moment too epic to not document.
A while back, on a whim, I made myself a basic tree fork slingshot (see photo.) I played around with it a bit, but besides knocking some trees between using my regular sling on practice trips, I hadn't done too much with it. But today, on yet another whim, I decided to pit my slingshot against that fell invader, the tree-destroying Spotted Lanternfly. So, I walked out my front door, and after a minute of searching, I saw one, perched in perfect obliviousness on my fence. So I pulled out my slingshot, and POW! I hit it, and it went flying behind some shrubs! (I tracked it down and destroyed it more thoroughly, to make sure it wasn't just injured - They're pretty hardy bugs.) I tried again and again to hit another, but I couldn't manage it. I figure my success was a fluke, but I'm still ecstatic that my slingshot got to see some action.
I'll probably get more chances to try again as autumn approaches. To borrow a phrase from Thorin Oakenshield, May it soon cleave goblins... Er, Spotted Lanternflies once again!